Today is a good day. After blowing my budget to oblivion with the purchase of an Otho, Vitellius, and Caligula, today I added insult to injury by nuking the ashes of what was once formerly known as my coin budget. But it was well worth it, see for yourself. There was a time Britain was an empire with overseas possessions, a monarch who styled himself as an Emperor from his throne room in London, and a mighty navy ruled the waves. No, this is not the British Empire, but rather the lesser known Britannic Empire of the 3rd Century CE. CARAUSIUS. 286-293 AD. Antoninianus (22mm, 3.92 gm). Londinium (London) mint. IMP C CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / PA-X A-VG, Pax standing left, holding branch and transverse sceptre; B-E//MLXXI. RIC V 118. VF Carausius received a command from Maximian to fight pirates off the coast of Britain. However, Maximian then decided to kill Carausius (just one of the long list of bad ideas that occured to Maximian). Carausius learned of this and decided to revolt. He carved out Britania and Northern Gaul to himself and would hold it successfully for 7 years, defeating Roman attempts to reconquer Britain thanks to his mighty Britannic fleets. Unfortunately, in 293 CE the good times came to an end after he was usurped and assassinated by another usurper, Allectus. Within 3 years Allectus managed to lose the Britannic Empire, and the rest is history as the crisis-filled 3rd Century gave way to a more stable Roman world and the rise of Christianity. Now you see why this coin is so special. Being a huge fan of the Crisis of the 3rd Century and the Secessionist Empires, I could not pass this up. I needed to have the self-styled Emperor of the North, who for a brief period at the end of the 3rd Century, created a proto-British Empire and gave the Romans a bloody nose. Also, most of Carausius' coins are in terrible shape, but this one is a superb example with a nice portrait. I just had to get it. Share any relevant coins. PS: RIP 2018 coin budget. You died so young. You shall be sorely missed.
Yes, the portrait captures well his fat neck, double chin, and neck beard. The only other emperor with that combo that I can think of is Nero in his later years. I'm not ashamed to say the portrait sold me this coin, though the fact that his name appears so well struck and legible was the icing on the cake.
The portrait hints that Carausius could have drunk and debauched Vitellius under the table. Utterly fantastic!
LOL, best description of Carausius ever. You know how Aureii, being gold, had the best portraits of Emperors as only the most talented celators were given that work. Well, here is one of his better portraits in gold. Look at all that fat...
Excellent coin Sallent! I did try to help out on your coin budget a bit today . The only somewhat relevant coin I have to share is this other JAZ acquisition: Maximianus Herculius, AD 286-305 Ӕ Follis, 27mm, 8.6g, 12h; Ticinum mint, AD 295-296. Obv.: IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; Laureate head right. Rev.: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera over altar, left cornucopiae; star in left field // ST Reference: RIC VI Ticinum 29b, p. 284 From the YOC Collection
Whithout a coin budget, one wouldn't feel the pleasure of transgression (where is the pleasure at buying a new Porsche when you already have ten ferraris ? ) Excellent addition @Sallent Carausius, Antoninianus Colchester mint ? IMP CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate bust right MONITA (sic) AVG, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia 3,64 gr Ref : RCV # 13629v, Cohen # 178 var, RIC, cf #867 Q
My transgression was this Carausius common Pax overstruck on a Victorinus common Salus. Why did it have to cost more than either parent? Such a coin always drives me to buy one showing the undertype.
Nice Carausisus @Sallent ! Headless PAX... hmmm that must say something about the peace... RI Carausius usurper in Britain CE 287–293 BI Ant 4.7g 24mm London radiate cuirassed - PAX AVG Pax stndg l branch scepter S—P RIC V 475 RI Carausius 287-293 AE22 London mint PAX Someday I may clean this one... perhaps it is an AV AUREUS underneath!
Great portrait indeed! London mint, no marks in field. RIC 101 (unverified). Allectus (293-297), quinarius (probably not really!), London mint. In Rosemary Sutcliffe's novel The Silver Branch, Carausius is represented as a noble leader, betrayed and murdered by his finance minister, Allectus, whose despotism ruins the Britannic empire. Coins feature in the plot.
I will do a little change-up... lets get a before-coins object in here... Egypt Scarab RAMESSES II cartouche 19th Dyn 1292-1189 BCE winged uraeus cobra 4.1g 19mm Gustave Mustaki coll acquired fr Egypt in 1948 Egypt Cleopatra VII Cyprus AE 11 1.8g obol Paphos mint as Isis dbl-corunc SNG Cop 649